Growth Performance and Feed Utilization Efficiency of Juvenile Catfish Clarias Gariepinus Fed Heat Processed and Dehulled Jatropha Curcas Meal (Published)
The growth performance and feed utilization efficiency of juvenile Clarias gariepinus fed heat processed and dehulled Jatropha curcas kernel meal (JCKM) was investigated using 150 pieces of fish with an average weight of 8.9g which were randomly distributed into five experimental diets in replicates of ten (10) fish per tank for 42days. The processed JCKM used were: Sand roasted, Autoclaved, Boiled and Raw defatted meal in replacement of Soya-bean meal at 33.33% per diet. The diets were fed to C. gariepinus of juvenile at 5% body weight. The highest growth performance (170.07±11.12) and feed utilization efficiency (1.36±0.06) was recorded for fish fed with diet of no JCKM replacement followed by sand roasted JCKM based diet(45.03±10.30, 0.42±0.11). There was no significant difference between the two diets at p>0.05. The low fed utilization efficiency observed in fish fed boiled(0.05±0.03), autoclaved(-0.1±0.05) and raw defatted (0.04±0.03) JCKM leads to decrease in growth performance which can be due to high concentration of anti-nutritional factors such as Phorbol esters, Saponins and Curcin. Therefore, JCKM can be used to replace Soya beans at low quantity in the diet of freshwater fish when Sand-roasted.
Keywords: Clarias Gariepinus, Feed Utilization, Growth, Jatropha Curcas
Impact of Organic and Folia Fertilizer Application on the Growth, Yield and Medicinal Potential of Hybiscus Sabdariffa L (Published)
The effect of organic (poultry manure) and folia fertilizer application on the growth, yield and phytochemical composition of Hibiscus sabdariffa was investigated in planting pot experiments. Seeds of this plant were sown in soil treated with organic fertilizer at 40, 80 and 120 g separately and also supplemented with folia fertilizer two weeks after germination. Some seedlings with no organic fertilizer application were also sprayed with folia fertilizer, thus making seven treatments in all. No organic or folia fertilizer served as control. Application of 120 g poultry manure in combination with folia fertilizer produced the highest plant height (98.23 cm), dry shoot weigh plant-1 (24.66 g) and number of fruits plant-1 (19.33). The highest leaf number plant-1 (164.00), fresh (28.06 g) and dry (4.43 g) fruit weight was recorded in plants treated with 120 g poultry manure. More so, alkaloids, anthocyanins, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, and tannins were found in the calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa with or without organic and foliar fertilizer. However, treatments with organic fertilizer singly or in combination with folia fertilizer significantly (p < 0.05) increased the phytochemical contents in the calyces of the plant. Interestingly, 120 g poultry manure had the greatest impact. The use of organic fertilizer in the cultivation of this medicinal plant should be encouraged as they could enhance its better growth, good yield and medicinal value under safe agricultural condition.
Keywords: Folia Spray, Growth, Medicinal Value, Organic Fertilizer, Yield
EVALUATION OF SIX CHINESE MAIZE (ZEA MAYS) VARIETIES IN THE HUMID TROPICAL ENVIRONMENT OF CALABAR, SOUTH-EAST, NIGERIA. (Published)
Six hybrid Chinese maize varieties with a local best were evaluated for their growth and yield performance with a view to adoption in South east agroecological zone of Nigeria. A Randomised Complete Block (RCBD) Design was used. The cultivars did not differ (p ≤0.05) significantly in some growth parameters, this included emergence percentage at 5DAP (days after planting), plant height at both 4WAP and 6WAP (weeks after planting). Tasseling and silking differed significantly, the exotic varieties tassled and silked better than the control at 8WAP and 10WAP respectively. The only significantly different yield parameters were the length and weight of undehusked cobs, circumference of dehusked cobs. The exotic varieties matured earlier than the control between 11 to 14WAP and 16WAP respectively. There was no significant difference in the grain yield between the maize varieties. The Chinese varieties did not show a marked difference in grain yield compared to the local
Keywords: Environment, Evaluation, Growth, Humid Tropics, Maize, Variety Trial, Yield
Evaluation of Cultivars and NKP Fertilizer Rates on Growth and Yield of Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott on Plains of Nsukka, South Eastern Nigeria (Review Completed - Accepted)
An on –farm experiment was conducted in 2008 and repeated in 2009 cropping season at the Linkage Farm of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka to evaluate the growth and yield responses of five cultivars of taro (Colocasia esculenta) to different levels of NPK 15:15:15: fertilizer on plains of Nsukka with the objectives of identifying best performing cultivars and optimum NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer rate. The experiment was laid out in a 5×6 factorial in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications in which factor A is taro cultivars consisting of Nkpong, Odogolo, Nworoko, Ugwuta and Nachi while factor B is NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer rates with six levels which is included 0, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300kg/ha. Fisher’s least significant difference was applied to detect significant difference between two means at 5% probability level. The results showed that the mean rainfall for 2009 planting season was higher than that of 2008. The soil was texturally clayey and moderately acidic with a pH of 5.0 cultivars differed significantly on total yield with Nkpong and Nachi producing 33.25 (t/ha) and 31.08 (t/ha) in 2008 and 2009, respectively.
Application of NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer at 200kg/ha significantly produced a total yield of 42.76 (t/ha) and 25.58 (t/ha) in 2008 and 2009, respectively.
Keywords: Cultivars, Growth, NPK Fertilizer, Taro, Yield
HEMATOLOGICAL GROWTH AND BLOOD METABOLITE RESPONSES IN THE MONOCULTURE OF JUVENILE CLARIAS GARIEPINUS TO INCREASING STOCKING DENSITY (Published)
A ten (10) week feeding trial was undertaken to assess the growth performance, nutrient utilization and blood metabolites of eight week old Juvenile Clarias griepinus of average weight range 250gm — 300gm stocked under 5 different treatments (10 (Trt I), 15 (Trt 2), 20 (Trt 3), 25 (Trt 4) and 30 (Trt 5) Juvenile Clarias gariepinus/25O litre bowl (under laboratory conditions) with increasing stocking densities. The increasing stocking density caused a decrease in value of the final fish body crude protein (Trt 1 (75.18%) > Iii 2 (73.91%) > Trt 3 (72.71%) > Trt 4 (71.21%) > Trt 5 (70.19%). A similar trend was followed in the specific growth rate (SGR) pattern decreasing from 0.20 (Trt 1) to 0.015 (Trt 5), mean weight gain (MWG) from 6.94 (Trt I) to 3.03 (Tn 5), protein efficiency ration (PER) from 0.29 (Trt I) to 0.04 (Trt 5), productive protein value (PPV) from 0.24 (Trt I) to 0.04 (Tit 5) and Net protein utilization (NPU) from 32.25 (Trt 1) to 19.28 (Trt 5). However the food conversion ratio (FCR) kept increasing from treatment (Trt 1)—88.46 to 662.31 in (Trt 5) with increasing stocking density. FCR correlation coefficient is positive (r 1.2964). Other growth and nutrient utilization parameters had negative correlations respectively. The following haematological and blood parameters (MCV, Hb, RBC, MCV, MCHC, MCH, and Total WBC) also showed significant (P <0.05) pattern of variations with stocking density. For parked cell volume (PCV) significant (P <0.05) drop were noticed from Trt 3 (26.98) to Trt 5 (2.00). Haemoglobin count (Hb) dropped from 6.97 in Trt 4 to 6.18 in Trt 5., confirming reduced activity, stressful conditions noticed at higher stocking densities along poor growth noticed in juvenile fishes in Treatment 5. The gradual and steady significant (P < 0.05) increase in WBC count of 29.26 in Itt 1 (10- fish) to 37.23 in Trt. 5 (30 fish) with increasing stocking density is also a reaction of the fish to stress. However, the Red Blood Cell Count followed a narrow range between Trt 1 2.53 — Trt 5 — 2.99, with no significance (P> 0.05) difference. All diets fed the 5 treatments were isonitrogenous at 40% crude protein.
Keywords: : Hematology, Growth, Metabolites, Monoculture, Stocking Density